


Fever

by WhirlwindWolf94



Series: Rise of the Guardians [3]
Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Jack is sick, Rise of the Guardians - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-11-08 11:55:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17980856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhirlwindWolf94/pseuds/WhirlwindWolf94
Summary: Jack is sick!





	1. Chapter 1

_Jack_

 

I really _hate_ summer. Hot, no snow, and I was always bored. Well, at least it wasn't as bad as it used to be. Bunny had taken pity on me, laid out in the shallows of my lake, sweating like a snowman under a heat lamp, and allowed me to stay with him at the Warren. It wasn't the Pole, but it wasn't as busy. At least I had room to roam. Plus, the food was pretty good. Despite his tough-guy appearance, Bunny could cook. All in all, I liked it here.

 

But today, I felt a little off. It was unusually hot. My head felt fuzzy and my stomach kept gurgling. I had absolutely _no_ energy and kept having to lean on my staff. The little eggs were running about and would've been funny. But today, as I've said, I just wasn't in it. They seemed to notice, too. I wasn't chasing them around trying to make them slip.

 

"Don't worry about me, little guys, I'm fine. Just a little hot." I said, pulling on my hoodie to try and cool myself down.

 

I just wandered around, not paying attention to where I was going. Until I walked smack into Bunny, who was walking and reading some book.

 

"Woah, steady on there mate." He said, closing the book and smirking a bit.

 

"Sorry, Bunny. Was-wasn't pa--!" I couldn't finish.

 

At that moment, my stomach decided to heave. I clamped a hand to my mouth and bolted for the nearest bathroom. I heard Bunny calling after me, but I _had_ to reach a bathroom. Not a moment too soon, I reached one and ran inside, locking the door. I collapsed to my knees and retched. Ick. My breakfast came back up and I could swear I saw a chunk of omelet. Oh god. I retched again. I never ate much, so there wasn't a lot to bring up, but still.

 

When I finished, I flushed and wiped my mouth with some toilet paper. I got up and rinsed that gross taste out of my mouth and looked in the mirror. Yikes. I was even paler than usual and my eyes were heavily shadowed. I always knew my eyes changed shades with my mood, but right now they were grey. Then came the dizziness. I swayed for a moment. Then I fell to the floor. I just had time to register how close my head came to hitting the toilet before I passed out.


	2. Chapter 2

_Bunnymund_

 

_Something's up with Jack._

 

I kept thinking that as I tracked him through the tunnels. For one thing, he looked pale, even for him, and his eyes were droopy and shadowed. For another, he hadn't said "whoops" when he bumped into me. He looked like he was sweating, which shouldn't've been because I made sure that my Warren wasn't as hot as usual. My eggs had been telling me all day that he wasn't acting normal, not chasing or freezing them I mean. Plus he took off with a hand clamped over his mouth. Something was wrong with him. I _had_ to find him.

 

Finally, his scent ended at a bathroom door. A _locked_ bathroom door. Worried, I gently tapped on the door.

 

"Jack? You alright, mate?" I called.

 

No answer. I tried again.

 

"Jack? C'mon, Frostbite, this ain't funny."

 

Nothing again. Almost panicky, I began beating the door in. Crikey, never knew how strong these things were. Grunting, I stood back and kicked the door with all my strength. Bingo! The lock broke and the door flew open. The sight that greeted me wasn't good. My instincts instantly kicked in as I rushed to him, feeling his forehead.

 

I swore. Jack was warm. He had to be at least seventy degrees, way above his usual ten. Now in full protection mode, I scooped the winter spirit up and ran to my room. What?! It was the first place I thought of. I gently laid him down in my nest and made sure he was comfortable. I instructed my eggs to gather any meds they could find and send messages to the others. I stuck a thermometer under Jack's tongue and continued my own search. I _had_ to find that book.

 

Why? Because it was a book on childcare. Ever since the Sophie incident, I had decided to study up on how to care for any child who may _somehow_ wander into my Warren. It had a whole chapter on illnesses and remedies and I _had_ to find it. Jack _was_ still a child after all. The thermometer beeped and I put my search on hold. I checked it and groaned. Jack _was_ running a seventy-degree fever. I placed an ice pack on his head and continued my search.

 

After what seemed like an age, I found it. I turned to the right page and….I swore again. I didn't know his symptoms other than the fever.

 

"B-Bunny?"

 

"Jack! Are you alright, mate?" I asked, sitting at his feet and feeling his forehead again.

 

"No. I feel hot and stuffy. Dizzy. I threw up earlier. Ick." He shivered again.

 

I searched for the symptoms as he was talking. After a moment, I found it. While lacking the coughing--never mind, he coughed, it all pointed to pneumonia. Crikey.

 

"Wh-what's wrong?" Jack asked, sounding scared.

 

"Lay down, Jack, rest. You'll need it. You've got pneumonia. The others should be here soon. Says here you need an antibiotic, so be prepared to swallow a pill." I said, gathering medicine as I talked.

 

I found the right ones and got a glass of water. He must've been feeling _terrible_ because he didn't complain. I patted his back and found it soaked. Shaking my head, I found a spare tee-shirt and convinced Jack to trade it for his hoodie. I'd wash it later. I did notice how thin the poor boy was, though. Well, he'd have a hard time keeping food down now. After laying him back down, I bundled him up to keep the chills away.

 

He went to sleep almost immediately. I couldn't leave him, so I got my eggs to watch out for the others. Crikey, I hoped they got here soon.


	3. Chapter 3

_Bunnymund_

 

The others got here in record time. All of them were frantic to see Jack and nearly trampled my poor eggs. Tooth never strayed from his side, always the mother figure. North and Sandy listened intently to my report. Pneumonia was a serious illness and we couldn't leave Jack alone for a moment.

 

"Do you think those meds will help?" Tooth asked, patting Jack's hair.

 

"They should. The pills were big enough. He was such a trooper, though. Swallowed 'em without a struggle." I said, taking the ice pack off Jack's head and putting a new one around his neck.

 

"Well, we'll just stay right here until Jack is better." North said, taking a seat.

 

So we did. Sandy only left at night to do his job and we only woke Jack to give him his medicine. He always went right back to sleep afterwards. We tried to get him to take in some chicken broth, but it just came right back up ten minutes later. Tooth was acting   _just_ like a mother caring for a sick child. She was never far away. Can't say I was any better. I never left his side. Well, the end of my nest, that is.

 

Of course, the antibiotics has their side effects. Once, I had to rush Jack to the bathroom due to the effect the meds had on his stomach. At least he was lucid enough to take care of _that_ himself. His temperature slowly decreased, so we knew he was fighting it off. I have to say, we were pretty good at this childcare thing. Wouldn't want to do it again any time soon, though. Sandy kept dolphins floating around in Jack's dreams, so the winter spirit had a smile on his face while he slept. All in all, Jack's recovery was slow, but relieving.

 

One day, though, I found myself alone with him. Tooth's mini-fairies had had a bit of a scuffle with the "European Division" and she had to go clear that up. The elves had shorted out an entire section of the workshop by mixing soda with Alka-Seltzer (don't ask), so North had to go. Sandy was off in the kitchen to make some tea and something for me to eat (I admit that I had rather neglected myself the few days Jack had been sick). I was alone with Jack. I found myself humming "Always With Me" while fidgeting with his blankets. Then I heard him chuckle.

 

"Didn't know you liked Miyazaki." Jack said, opening his eyes.

 

"Jack! How d'ya feel, Frostbite?" I asked as he sat up.

 

"Better. Don't feel as hot and my head isn't as fuzzy."

 

"Excellent, Jack! You're comin' 'round!" I said, grabbing the thermometer.

 

Jack rolled his eyes and stuck the thing under his tongue. After a while, the thing beeped. I nearly leaped for joy. He was back down to ten degrees! Before I could stop myself, I pulled the winter spirit into a big hug. I even kissed his forehead. After a moment of shock, Jack laughed. Wow, I actually missed that laugh.

 

"Crikey, Jack, you had us all scared stiff." I said, letting him go.

 

"Heh, sorry." He said, rubbing the back of his neck.

 

"Oh no, it's not you're fault, mate. Just glad t'see you're alright." I ruffled his hair.

 

"Does this mean I don't have to take any more medicine?" His eyes were pleading.

 

"No, mate, no more pills." I smiled.

 

Jack sighed in relief. Then he blinked as we both heard a rumble. We both looked at his stomach.

 

"I'm _starving!_ " Jack said, patting his stomach.

 

I would've laughed. If _my_ stomach hadn't growled then, too.

 

"Guess I am, too." I said, smirking.

 

Just then, Sandy came in wheeling a lunch tray. He parked the thing and immediately hugged Jack, expressing his relief through his sand pictures. We ate with gusto after that. Jack was so happy to be able to keep food down, he nearly swallowed his spoon. After an hour, Tooth and North arrived back. They both hugged Jack and Baby Tooth snuggled into his neck. We filled him in on the goings-on since he first fell ill. He laughed at the soda/Alka-Seltzer bit. Yep, he was back.

 

After a few hours, the others drifted off. Satisfied Jack was on the mend, they felt able to go back to work. I let Jack stay where he was, since my nest was the closest thing to a bed in the Warren. Just before drifting to sleep, Jack spoke.

 

"Bunny?"

 

"Yeah, mate?"

 

"Thanks. Y'know, for everything. If it wasn't for you, I'd probably still be sick."

 

"Don't mention it, Jack. Anything for a brother." I patted his shoulder.

 

Jack smiled and snuggled down.

 

"Goodnight, brother." Jack said, then went right to sleep.

 

I smiled and, after a moment, curled up at Jack's feet. No matter what, I and all the others would always be there for Jack. Just like we know he's always be there for us. We were a family and we protected each other. And that will never, _ever_ change.


End file.
